Map of the beaches in Gran Canaria
Letâs start the guide, as usual, with a map of the beaches of Gran Canaria, to better understand the location of each one. If you like, save the link on your phone and take advantage of the map during your trip! đ
And now letâs begin!
Playa de Amadores
Overall rating: 8/10
Services: Yes
Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Sandy, bay-shaped, quiet
Accommodation nearby: in Puerto Rico, like the 5-star Holiday Club Jardin Amadores or the small apartments XQ Vistamar.
Let’s start the guide to the beaches of Gran Canaria with a big one: Playa de Amadores.
Playa de Amadores is the most photographed among the beaches of Gran Canaria, the one that all the advertisements and the tour operators show (and always with enhanced colors and exaggerated saturation), as if there were no other beaches in Gran Canaria.
But Iâll show you a photo of Playa de Amadores with real colors:
This beautiful beach, in my opinion, deserves a reflection of its own.
It is located in a partly artificial bay that makes the waters very calm and clear, absolutely suitable even for families and children as the seabed descends very gradually.
However, it must be said that the heavy concrete development behind it slightly disrupts the view. Hereâs what you would see if photographers used a slightly wider view. đ
I’m not throwing shit on this beach, I recommend at least one visit here to everyone; what I mean is simply not to be misled by the extreme pictures of certain brochures. đ
The waters are calm and clear, the beach although very busy is so wide that you wonât feel too crowded, especially in certain areas.
Behind the shoreline there is a very long âpromenadeâ with restaurants, bars, services, and every kind of commercial activity. You can also walk above it, admiring the beach from an elevated position.
Some activities you may like, before going on with the article:
Last but not least, if youâre traveling in winter, Playa de Amadores is one of the best beaches in Gran Canaria to sunbathe (and possibly also to find accommodation nearby) since the southwest coast is the sunniest and most sheltered from the wind.
- XQ Vistamar: nice and affordable seafront apartments with great reviews, for up to 5 people;
- IG Nachosol Atlantic: 4-star with great prices for couples without children, free wifi, bar restaurant, parking, pool and shared jacuzzi.
- Holiday Club Jardin Amadores: 5 stars near Playa de Amadores with rooms and apartments for up to 6 people, with sea views from its elevated position, wifi, free shuttle down.
Anfi Beach
Overall rating: 8/10
Services: Yes
Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Sandy, bay-shaped
Accommodation nearby: in the neighborhood of Puerto Rico a couple of km away
This is located along the southern coast of the island and is another good beach of Gran Canaria for those traveling in winter.
Anfi Beach is also a partially artificial sandy beach in the shape of a semicircular bay. In the surroundings of this beach, there is a bit more vegetation compared to the previous one: with its palm trees and some gardens of nearby resorts, it appears much greener.
There are extremely fine sand and fairly clear water despite being very popular. Itâs a bit more difficult to swim far from shore for those who love swimming as the inlet is partially âblockedâ by boats moored a few dozen meters from the beach.
At this beach in Gran Canaria youâll find all necessary services and itâs also suitable for children due to the calm waters. Anfi Beach, on the other hand, is less recommended for those who love natural and less touristy beaches.
Los Charchones
Overall rating: 7/10
Services: Yes
Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Rocky that turns into a natural pool
Accommodation nearby: in the village of El Puertillo.
Los Charcones is a small but unique rocky beach (with small sandy stretches) on the north coast of the island that turns into a natural pool depending on the tide.
When the tide is low, some rocks emerge from the sea outlining a couple of natural pools with very calm and warmer water than outside.
As the tide rises, the rocks become submerged again and the beach returns to being a simple rocky beach with somewhat stronger waves.
Behind this beach lies a small quiet village, El Puertillo. Youâll still find basic services but of course youâll have to move south for all other visits and attractions.
I recommend this beach to those who are nearby or not in a hurry and have time to wait for the tide change to see the pool effect. If youâre short on time, donât go out of your way to get there and stay half an hour (perhaps coming from the south of the island) because it could be a waste of time if the tide is high.
Being on the north coast, I do not recommend Los Charcones on days with rough seas or wind, especially in winter when this is more frequent.
Playa de Las Canteras
Overall rating: 7/10
Services: Yes Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Long sandy beach in front of the city
Accommodation nearby: in the northern area of the city of Las Palmas, such as Hotel FaycĂĄn.
Another one of the most popular beaches of Gran Canaria is the one located in Las Palmas, the islandâs âcapitalâ city, on the west coast of that thin strip of land at the northernmost point of the city.
Weâre talking about the long sandy beach of Las Canteras, great for those who want to stay in Las Palmas (or are forced to for work reasons) without giving up the sea.
Playa de Las Canteras is also equipped with all services, umbrellas, loungers, and needless to say, since thereâs an entire city behind it, any kind of bar or restaurant.
At Playa de Las Canteras thereâs no shortage of free beach areas and at least once a year festivals or beach parties are held here.
Compared to the beaches in the south, here water is a bit rougher and waves can get quite strong. Always keep an eye on children if traveling with family.
I recommend choosing other beaches of Gran Canaria instead of Las Canteras to those who donât like seeing buildings behind the beach, in this case the entire city of Las Palmas.
If you have some time, I also recommend spending half a day visiting the two most noteworthy districts of the city: Vegueta, the historic quarter, and Triana, the more modern and populated one, among its various commercial avenues.
Playa del Confital
Overall rating: 7/10
Services: No Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Rugged and windy beach great for surfing
Accommodation nearby: in the northern area of the city of Las Palmas.
Also in Las Palmas, a short distance to the north and reachable on foot, is Playa de El Confital, a wild beach perfect for those who want to surf.
Playa el Confital can be reached via a road accessible both on foot and by car, offering a beautiful view along the coast until you reach the beach.
It’s just a couple of kilometers from nearby Playa de Las Canteras, yet this feels like a completely different natural paradise especially for surfers.
Not recommended, however, for those with children or who want to swim.
Playa del Ingles and the Dunes of Maspalomas
Overall rating: 9/10
Services: Yes, except in the dune areas
Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Sandy
Accommodation nearby: in Maspalomas such as Apartamentos Las Dunas or Bohemia Suites & SPA.
Playa del Ingles, in addition to being the name of a beach in Gran Canaria on the southeast of the island, is also the name of the adjacent district, the most famous and lively of Gran Canaria. To get a better idea of this area take a look at the article on where to stay in Gran Canaria.
It stretches for several kilometers, from the northern area in front of San Agustin, where it also forms some bays, to the far south behind the large dunes of Maspalomas. Along this wide beach you find services, loungers, and umbrellas, or plenty of free space if you’re looking for your own peaceful oasis away from everyone.
Most interesting is that this beach borders the Maspalomas dunes, a small true “desert” about 2-3 km in diameter.
If you don’t like sand, you can still admire the dunes from the promenade behind them, which runs along the district, where you can photograph wide dunes and the ocean in the distance.
You might also be interested in: See the Maspalomas dunes from the center of the island
This area should therefore be a must-stop during your Gran Canaria beach tour, and if tourist districts don’t bother you it could also be a great area to stay.
So I recommend these Gran Canaria beaches to those who want to see a sandy and wide landscape. The seabed descends gradually so it’s also good for families and children but always keep an eye on them, since the ocean should never be underestimated and a stronger wave can always come.
On the other hand, I do not recommend it on very windy days, when the sand could lift.
Playa de Tufia
Overall rating: 8/10
Services: limited, on the village side
Accessibility: Easy
Type of beach: Mainly rocky
Accommodation nearby: in the town of Telde about 5 km away
Playa de Tufia is a small hidden gem on the east coast of Gran Canaria, not far from the airport.
Among the Gran Canaria beaches listed in this guide, Playa de Tufia is probably the one that will give you the most traditional feel.
To get to Playa de Tufia youâll arrive via an elevated road almost to the end of a peninsula, which offers two different beaches, one on the north side, completely natural, and one on the south side, where the village of Tufia is perched on the rock. I recommend zooming in on the map above Playa de Tufia to better understand its layout.
Once youâve parked the car, if you choose the beach to the north, youâll find yourself descending into a small but very natural sandy beach surrounded by rocks, where the wind can be very strong, even in summer, if it comes from the north.
If instead you go south, youâll pass through the small village of white houses that almost resemble the neighborhoods of some Greek island, to reach a narrow but nice sandy beach. Be careful where you step or bring suitable flip-flops because in some spots it can be slippery.
On this side the beach is usually sheltered from the wind, and if itâs not overcrowded, the view is not bad at all!
I do not recommend Playa de Tufia to those traveling with children.
Donât stop here!
Before finishing I want to emphasize that the beaches of Gran Canaria donât end here. The islandâs jagged coastline, especially along the rugged west coast, means that there are plenty of small and forgotten beaches (even if sometimes challenging to reach).
Just zoom in on the map along the islandâs coasts to discover other beaches, which if located along routes that fit your schedule, might be worth adding to the list!
Now that you know everything about Gran Canaria’s beaches…
…take a look at the other articles on Gran Canaria, on how to see the whole island from above and where itâs worth staying!
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